


Oct. 23rd, “You Can’t Give More Than Yourself.”

by Morpheus626



Category: The Pacific (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:40:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25064032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morpheus626/pseuds/Morpheus626
Summary: Fictober 2019.This sentence is something I tell myself on the regular, but I tend to overwork anyway. Sledge seems like a similar character, so that’s what we’re looking at here. And what Snafu can do to help keep him from overdoing it as well.
Relationships: Merriell "Snafu" Shelton/Eugene Sledge
Kudos: 3





	Oct. 23rd, “You Can’t Give More Than Yourself.”

“You need to take a break,” Snafu kept his hand on Eugene’s shaking back as they lay in bed, the clock beside them ticking away to three in the morning. They’d gone to bed at nine, but Eugene hadn’t slept any since then. “I know you’re wanting to prove yourself, to graduate with the best grades, with a job offer on deck, but is it worth this misery?”

Eugene only sobbed in response. This was week five of nightmares, panic attacks, and next to no sleep. 

“I need you to take care of yourself. What would I do without you?” 

Eugene rolled over to face him, sniffling, only to resume sobbing as he pressed his face into Snafu’s chest. 

“You can’t give more than yourself. You’re gonna destroy yourself keepin’ on like this. You need a break, and your professors will understand. If they don’t, I’ll make them.”

“You should sleep. I’m sorry; I’m always keeping you awake,” Eugene’s voice was strangled by his weeping. It sounded painful, and it broke Snafu’s heart to hear it.

“Hush, none of that. I’m taking care of you right now, so you don’t get to scold me about nothing,” he replied as he gently rubbed Eugene’s back as he held him close.

“Snafu-” 

“You just rest. And tomorrow, you’re talking to your advisor at the school so we can figure out some time off for you,” he interrupted before Eugene could protest more. 

“If I don’t graduate exactly on time, that job-” 

“Will probably still be there, waiting. Your professor said he recommended you, and the other university in San Francisco likes you as a potential employee, right? I bet if they’ve waited this long to fill that job, they’d be willing to wait a little bit longer,” he soothed. “You gotta relax, or you’re gonna end up tearing all that gorgeous hair out over all of this.” 

It was a quiet giggle he got out of Eugene, but hearing it was like hearing the sweetest birdsong. 

“I can’t have you doin’ that. I mean, I’ll love you no matter how you look, but I’d sure miss being able to play with it, run my fingers through it,” he continued. 

“You’d love me even if I take that job? And we’d have to move, and it would be right after I graduate and oh god we’ll already be so fuckin’ busy, and-” 

“Breathe. Whatever happens, whatever you do, we’re gonna be okay. We’ll get everything figured out no matter what. But for now? You gotta try and get some sleep,” he interrupted as he felt Eugene’s chest start to heave again, his heart beating too rapidly. 

He hummed softly, wordlessly, trying to stave off another bout of panic and fear for Eugene. If he knew of a way to take it all away, to let Eugene sleep easy, he would have done it in a heartbeat. 

Sometimes, being close with the humming and soft words was enough to do it. Other times, not. 

This time, thankfully, it was enough. 

Eugene’s breathing finally calmed and slowed, and his eyes shut. It was a wonderful sight, a much needed one. Eugene was running on empty, and while sleep couldn’t cure all it certainly would help.

Snafu reached a hand behind him, carefully, trying not to jostle Eugene as he caught the alarm clock on the end table, struggling to turn it off and set it back down on its face. 

Normally, he’d have left the alarms for Eugene’s early classes, but he couldn’t this time. Whether Eugene liked it or not, he needed the sleep more than the stress of being in classes (that were just pre test prep and review anyway, and he’d been helping Eugene study that way for weeks already. Eugene would be fine missing one day of it in class.) 

Just like he could miss a day of work to stay home and care for Eugene, to make sure he stayed sleeping and resting as much as possible. He might just call the advisor himself and get the time off worked out, whatever it would take to make sure Eugene could recover. If he had his way (and he would see to it that he did) this would be the last of Eugene’s panic attacks over school and the stress of it all.


End file.
